Let's Runaway Together
by Prettyfly2
Summary: SUMMARY INSIDE. Abuse. Running Away. Love Blooms Secretly. Life is hard...


**What if it wasn't just an ordinary story, what if her prince charming wasn't coming to save her? What if he had the exact same life as her? Gabriella Montez, is being beaten, she meets the one boy who would understand everything. Because he went through everything she did. The same life's, collide they didn't know it themselves. Until he saw her bruises and marks, and she saw his bruises and marks. They hang onto each other for support. As love blooms between them secretly.**

GABRIELLA Montez stood at the doors in though; this was their fourth time moving. She didn't know why, no one came close to finding out their secrets. She never let anyone in, she was to quiet and self-preserved for that. She just didn't like meeting new people, and planting roots in a place where they would be ripped out of. She didn't fit in anyways, so she wouldn't care where she went but what she couldn't understand was why she was always a new playing toy for everyone in her new school. She had gotten so used to it, whenever she was looked at by people and fits of giggles burst out when she walked into a room. She just sighed and took her place in the back room silently always refusing politely when a teacher asked for her to introduce herself. She knew this school wouldn't be any different; the clothes they wore just rang with school spirit. She hated everything about it, because it brought on the cocky cheerleaders and jocks. Her life was semi-okay. Lizzie didn't know about Channing's abusive ways, well because she always had a so-called "business trip" even though she knew she was having an affair with Skipp. Channing was her adoptive dad, Lizzie the adoptive mother, Skipp was Channing's brother. She didn't like to call them Uncle, Mother or Father. They didn't deserve that, she never knew about her childhood anyways, she never remembered her parents. She was adopted around ten, now she was seventeen. Channing never touched Lizzie; it was a relationship with no fire. When Lizzie would return for a short period of time a week or so, Channing would stop the beatings. He would tell her to wear thicker clothing, their family was very wealthy. She thinks if only Lizzie knew, then maybe the beatings wouldn't happen. That was the only reason she would never inform Channing about the affairs, she had some type of hope in Lizzie. Even though people thought she came from a poor home, because she chose not to try to wear fancy things to school; just to fit in? She hated high heels, make-up, unnatural colored hair, and poufy hair! Just awful. She liked just being a plain brunette with natural shining hair. Her self-esteem was very low, but who could blame her had anyone ever thrown a compliment at her? No. She just wore a different vintage colored sweater every day, it didn't hug her body. It was abnormally large, which was part of the reason she was made fun of. But she didn't care what they thought; they didn't know the pain it would cause if it pressed against her skin. As she thought of all that, the bell rang. Sadly, now she would be stared at when she walked into class. She walked into the main office. They printed out her schedule, took her I.D. picture, and showed her, her new locker and gave her the combination. She thought about getting a job, because Channing was so selfish! Never did he buy her anything. These were all old journals; she tore out the used papers. She found all her old supplies and used them. Room three-oh-one. She traveled to the second floor, and went to the third classroom on the right side of the hallway, she stood beside it. It was slightly cracked open, she took three deep breaths. One of the students caught her staring and raised their hand.

"Ms. Cope? There is someone at the door. I think she was the new student you were talking about." The devilish blonde smirked. _Bitch_.

"Thank you, Sharpay." What the hell type of name was that! Gabriella thought. Ms. Cope stood up popped her fingers, and opened the door widely.

"Gabriella Montez? Welcome to ELA! This is your new homeroom," Ms. Cope clapped her hands together as if she didn't know what to say, "Gah! Just welcome to New York." She smiled brightly, her worn down teeth shined in the lighting above the door.

Well obviously, she thought. Gabriella had an inner confidence that rarely showed.

Ms. Cope fumbled with papers at her desk, and finally scooped up a jumble and handed them to Gabriella. "This is information about the classroom; you and your parents can go through it. If they wanted to meet sometime my number is in the bottom left hand corner." Ms. Cope's bony finger pointed.

Gabriella nodded quietly, "Would you like to introduce yourself?" At this, Gabriella shook her head profusely.

Ms. Cope looked hurt, was she the first to refuse?

"Oh okay." Gabriella squeaked. She didn't like when people looked at her like that.

Ms. Cope mouth curved upwards and her crooked teeth once again glistened.

"I'm Gabriella Montez, I just moved her from Florida." That was all she would say, before Ms. Cope could pick a seat for her. Gabriella went to the very back. All the seats beside her were empty. The row in front of her was also empty, except for three students who were put off to the very far left. All alone, where no one can stare. That was nice she thought, she sighed content.

Ms. Cope looked at her, and shook her head. She took her seat, looked down at the papers and said, "Ms. Montez, can you please come up here?" Gabriella moved slowly towards the ill-curving desk that covered the left of the room, with a lamp light just above her head.

"Well I know you must be scared, don't worry. I just - I want to help you." Gabriella's heart came to a stop, "What do you mean . . . ?" She asked. "Meet new people, you seem so… fragile."

"N-No… I already have a few friends." She exclaimed. "Really, who?" Ms. Cope instigated. Gabriella looked down at her attendance list, "Uhm… Taylor Mckessie, Kelsi Nielson and Amanda Cardenas." Ms. Cope looked surprised, "Oh really?" She said excited, almost as much as Gabriella was nauseated. What had she gotten herself into? "Taylor, Kelsi, Amanda, Come up here."

I turned to look behind me, the three girls rose. "Oh what did we do now, Ms. Cope?" An African-American girl exclaimed. "Oh calm yourself Taylor, nothing." Ms. Cope waved them over faster, and then they came to a halt at the desk and looked at her. "So I hear you know Gabriella Montez?" A short girl with curly long black hair raised her hand. Gabriella slapped her head on her forehead. "Yes Amanda?" Amanda lowered her hand and scratched her head, "Who is Gabriella Montez?" Ms. Cope opened her mouth, but then a short girl with light hazel colored spoke up, "It's this girl the new girl Amanda, weren't you listening at all!" Ms. Cope looked confused, "Yes Kelsi but you don't…?" Taylor butted in, "No we don't know this girl how does she knows us?" Taylor demanded in a husky whisper. "Oh, well could you show her around, after class?" Amanda was about to say something to Ms. Cope when Taylor slapped her hand over her mouth. "Of course, Ms. Cope." Taylor said, Gabriella soon hinted the false sweetness in her voice; this was a big mistake she thought. Gabriella took her seat in the back quickly. She began doodling. Ms. Cope surprisingly, never stood up again to continue her lecture she just pretended to have paperwork and kept sneaking suspicious glances at Gabriella.

As soon as class was over, Gabriella quickly was the first one at the door. But then someone tapped her on the shoulder, "Hey, I'm Taylor! I believe Ms. Cope asked me to show you around?" Gabriella nodded slowly, Amanda, Kelsi, and the blonde girl that ratted her out came out from the room what was her name? '_Sharpie?'_ Taylor snatched Gabriella's schedule from her hands. "I think _we'll all_ show you around." Amanda grabbed Gabriella's arm, she winced but Amanda ignored it. They dragged Gabriella onto the quad, where no one would go until lunch, before school or after school.

They sat her down on the stone bench, "So how did you even know our names, what are you some type of freak!" Amanda said. Gabriella couldn't speak; the knot in her throat was much too big. Her confidence wouldn't shine. "Speak damnit!" The blonde one said, she raised her hand as if to slap her. Then Kelsi said, "Wait, Sharpay. Let's see if she talks, what if she's disabled or something."

Sharpay rolled her eyes, "Screw off Kelsi, if she was disabled she be at Lamar that school for all those type of people." Kelsi's mouth formed an O' shape. Finally Gabriella could speak, "I-I just read your names of the attendance list."

Then a teacher came walking towards the glass window doors, Sharpay looked over at Gabriella. "You're in for hell after school." _What did I do,_ Gabriella sighed. This was the usual, what else should she suspect?

So Gabriella was fearful of what was to come the rest of the day, she was bullied for nothing. Those horrid girls must've done something.

**Gabriella's Point of View**.

_What Had I done?_ Why did no one like me, why must I be picked on? I shut my locker quickly, trying to find a back exit. Sharpay turned the corner suddenly, mashing me back against the lockers. She slapped me, throwing me down on the ground. I tried to get back up; I pondered just wondering if I should leave my books lying there. She pushed me back down, and her stilettos stepped on my left hand, I heard a crunching sound.

I whimpered. "Oh so now you speak!" I tried scooting backwards my hand hurt so much! She crouched down, and lifted her hand. "I've been waiting for this." She whispered. Her hand was brought down to my cheek. "I hate people like you, what do you want the world to feel sorry for you!" She grabbed my arm, and began twisting it. I cried out and pain, "Please! I'm sorry, just let go." Sharpay dropped me down, and began walking away. As she did she took one last glance back and said, "This school will be your personal hell." She kicked down a trash can as she exited the school. I quickly threw my books back in my locker, I couldn't carry them. I ran to the bathroom, there were dried tear streaks on my cheek, red scratches beside my left eye, and a slap mark. I couldn't explain or cover up; I didn't know what Channing would think. My arm began to ache, I feared it was broken. I tried to stretch my fingers, but I couldn't feel it, I slammed it against the sink, and a sharp pain shot through them. Probably sprained.

**End of Point of View.**

ON arriving home Gabriella saw that Lizzie's black Mazda wasn't parked in the driveway. Meaning she was in store for a harsh beating, she also noticed the house beside them was occupied. This morning a ghost house, now the lights were all turned on. Weird, she thought. She unlocked the front door; she tried to sneak up the stairs but Channing her soundless steps.

"What took you so long to get home? You didn't make my food. You didn't lay out my clothes! You ungrateful little bitch!" Channing's voice was slurred, he stumbled towards Gabriella up the stairs he kicked her legs from under her. She fell down the stairs, luckily it was carpeted. Although, she landed on the padded wooden floors with a thud. "I'm sorry Channing, the uhm… teacher held me up at school." Channing stepped on Gabriella's left hand, and put his other foot on her right pinning her down. She bit her tongue to keep from screaming, "Go get in that kitchen and start up my dinner, and then go lay out my clothes and make up my bed. Dumb bitch." Channing finished by spitting on her, and pouring a little alcohol on her. "Yes Sir. Sorry Sir." He broke his glass on her leg before letting her up, glass and liquid splattered everywhere. It was a good thing she was wearing jeans. "And clean that up!" It was a good thing Channing was too drunk to notice her face.

After doing all her chores, Gabriella went up to her room to inspect herself. She was wrong; a glass shard had broken through her jeans. Gabriella grabbed a bathroom cloth and put it in her mouth, and got a large towel, she bit down on the cloth as she twisted the glass out of her cut. She snuck downstairs and took the first aid kit, Channing had always hid it, but she would always find the spot. This time she would hide it in her room well, and lie when he asked. She got out a large cotton ball and dashed some alcohol on it, and put it around the edges of her room. Then she wrapped some gauze tape around it. She changed into her sweat shirt, and sweat pants. Leaving on a white tee under the sweat shirt. She put her long curls up into a messy bun, she sat down and sighed. Why must she suffer so much, she thought once again. She lay back on her springy bed, and didn't bother to hide under her covers tonight, she was too riled up. She felt like someone was watching her although, she was right. Someone who would change her life was doing the same thing.

IN the morning, Gabriella woke up early; she had done all her chores and laid out Channing's freshly ironed clothes. Made his breakfast, wrapped her left hand in tight gauze, then rushed of to school to hide herself in the library. She smiled at the stock they had, the library books smelt... _smart_. It made her feel, some sort of brain power. It had books about all her favorite philosophers, and authors. When the first bell rang, Gabriella lingered in the library's presence, then she quickly made her way to her locker. Getting out her English book, and notebooks. When she sat down, she noticed a second new name on the attendance list, _Troy Bolton._ It read. She shrugged it off, probably some jerk she thought.

The bell rang, and students filed in. Ms. Cope was even late herself, she said today that the class would act as if it were study hall to work on their review. A sudden knock came to the door, a boy walked in a short-sleeved white tee clung to his body. He had a small bruise on his right arm; as if he was being abused himself. He had ice-blue eyes, you could see very well that he was muscular, amazingly built. He had bed-hair it looked sexy. Gabriella blushed, she'd never thought of a boy that way before. Suddenly they met eye-contact. Gabriella gasped out loud, for some reason a tingly feeling passed through-out all her body. Ms. Cope welcomed him, "Welcome Troy Bolton to your class." Then asked him if he wanted to introduce himself, "Nope." His voice, was velvet yet rough... it was _seductive. _He ignored Ms. Cope's shocked expression, the flirtatious glances the girls threw at him even the ones that had tried to beat her up the other day even... Sharpay. She stood up as he passed her row, "Uhm, hi. I just wanted you to know you totally have a place to sit at lunch. And that thing, behind us, You wouldn't want to be seen with her she's not the coolest." Sharpay said loud enough for Gabriella to hear. Troy looked up and down at her, rolled his eyes and made his way to the back of the room. He planted himself in the seat next to Gabriella, her heart beat grew faster and faster.

"Hi I'm Troy Bolton."

Gabriella cocked her head to the side in confusion, "Why are you talking to me?" She accidentally blurted out. He looked confused himself. "There's something about you, it attracted me. Its like there's more behind you. Like your _hiding_ something." He shook his head, and leaned in more to her. "Plus, I saw you last night."

Gabriella's eyes became big as saucers, "I-I don't know what you're talking about..." She said in a low voice. "You know exactly—" He was cut off.

Gabriella whimpered, "Please. Just please don't not right now. Not here. You don't know _anything_ about me."

Troy sighed, his heart felt... _sad_ to see this girl like this. He didn't know her. And here he was his first conversation with her, and he just brought it up. He wasn't the type to stall things though. "I know exactly what you're going through." He whispered. He looked to see the class staring at him and Gabriella. "What are you staring at can't I have a conversation? You nosy people." He said bile in his throat. Ms. Cope, even watching herself ducked her head in embarrassment. He felt so protective over this girl, and he didn't even know her name.

Silent tears fell down Gabriella's face, Troy looked up in her eyes. "Stop. You have to be strong with what's happening. You know what? Crying won't help _anything. _Now, tell me your name."

"Nothing's happening. I'm not being _beaten_ if thats what you think. I'm not abused... I just had an accident. I ride my skate board..." She lied.

He stared at her, "Well, it explains the scratches, and you couldn't have so called 'fallen' hard enough to bruise that stomach of yours. What about that slap mark and those nail scratches? _And,_ you had to take that glass out of your leg..." He winced thinking about it.

"The nail scratches and slap mark, are from... Sharpay." She paused, to take not of Troy's confusion, "That girl that called me a 'thing'." He smiled, "Oh the bitch, right?"

Gabriella cackled, "Yeah, her... and that glass. Someone had broken a beer bottle in the street. Plus, you should know there's _always_ random glass in the street. I fell on it."

"Then why wasn't your parents more concerned?" He continued, "Explain those muffled cries too."

Gabriella was getting seriously annoyed, "Why should I explain anything to you! We _just_ met. This conversations only lasted, for ten minutes."

"You still haven't explained that bruise." He ignored.

"OKAY. You know what fuck it. I'm abused. If you value _my_ life. You won't tell anyone, he'll kill me. He's planning to kill me anyways once i'm old enough to be on my own, which is next year. I'm planning to get out of here, and _runaway._"

Troy smiled sadly, "Let's runaway together. I wanna get out of here as much as you do." A question popped up in Gabriella's mind but she supressed it.

"What's your name anyways, beautiful." Troy smirked.

"Gabriella... Gabriella Montez." Troy couldn't keep his eyes away from her she was so beautiful, she had bow-shaped lips, pink and kissable. Almond shaped eyes, not to mention her light brown eyes, to her wavy brownish-black curls. He was wondering, why guys weren't lining up to date her. He couldn't see her body really under her large jacket. But he didn't care. All he wanted was her, safe. He wiped a tear from her face, caught off guard she leaned back almost falling out of her chair. Troy wrapped his arms around her waist just in time. "You're embarrassing yourself. Have for self-esteem." Gabriella shook her head, "You're scaring me. This is your first conversation with me, and you already know about the..."

"Abuse." He finished, "It's okay. Gabriella. I don't like to see you like this. Please. Stop letting people walk all over you."

Gabriella suddenly felt angry, her self-esteem rose like a fire. "Shut up. I don't need some guy telling me what to do! You don't even know me. I don't even _know_ you." She continued, "You think you got me all figured out. But you don't! So just stop, and if you know what's good for you, you won't tell ANYONE." Troy smirked. "I'm surprised. Good job. Now start doing that to people you let walk over you. More like Channing."

Gabriella gasped, "How do you know him, how do you know all this." Troy shrugged, "I did my research your daddy is famous."

"He's not my dad. He's some foolish man, I'm forced to live with."

"There you go." Troy said poking her in the stomach, Gabriella winced then giggled.

Troy smiled, he liked her voice... her laugh. But the wince didn't go unnoticed. "Let me see it." He demanded. "See what?" Gabriella asked. Troy glared at her stomach, but then finally, she took a look around the room to make sure no one was looking, then lifted up her jacket and the white tee under. Troy's eye widened at the large purple bruise. Troy reached out his hand, and felt on it with his cold rough fingers, he caressed it. Gabriella felt tingly all over again, as did Troy. She pulled back down her shirt and blushed.

She noticed he bruise on his arm again, "Are you abused...?" She whispered. The question she suppressed before, even though she knew the answer.

"Yeah. My dad. He's my real dad actually. My mom... she's dead. My room window, is right by yours. That's how I saw. Because, I was doing the same thing."

Gabriella looked at his once light blue eyes that had turned dark. She reached out and stroked his cheeks "I'm so sorry." Some people stared at her from the corner of their eyes. Troy cleared his throat, he felt opened up to Gabriella. "Look. Class is about to be over. Meet me at the quad after school, we can do something." He smiled, before Gabriella could protest, there was a change of heart-she wanted to go. The walked out of the room together. Some couldn't admit it out loud, but they looked cute together. It was the beginning of a true friendship... or love.

**Review for the next chapter. The minimum I only expect is ten reviews. **


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